Common Slogans Like 'One for All' Cannot Be Trademarked Without Distinctiveness : Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court held that commonly used phrases like “One for All, All for One” cannot be granted a trademark unless they have acquired a secondary meaning in the minds of consumers.

In an appeal by Oswaal Books, Justice Mini Pushkarna noted that such expressions are descriptive and part of general language usage, and registering them would unfairly restrict access to common words. 

The court observed that such expressions lack the required originality or secondary meaning necessary for trademark registration.

The Court clarified that simply placing a slogan on goods or advertising does not make it distinctive; it must uniquely identify the source to qualify for trademark protection under Section 9 of the Trade Marks Act.